CROWNS

Dental crowns are caps that cover a tooth or a dental implant abutment. Dentists often recommend crowns as a way to support broken, weak, or misshapen teeth.

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Dental crowns can also be used to cover up a tooth that’s very worn down or severely discolored. They can also be used in conjunction with bridges to strengthen multiple teeth.

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When a lot of tooth structure is lost due to caries or tooth fracture, a dental filling may not be strong enough or practical, you may need a crown to cover the tooth to help restore it to its normal shape and size. A crown can make your tooth stronger and improve its appearance.

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A crown can help strengthen a tooth with a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining to hold the filling. Crowns can also be used to attach bridges, protect a weak tooth from breaking or restore one that’s already broken. A crown is a good way to cover teeth that are discolored or badly shaped. It’s also used to cover a dental implant abutment.

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If your dentist recommends a crown, it is probably to correct one of these conditions. Your dentist’s primary concern, like yours, is helping you keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright.

*information Obtained from ADA website.

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Different types of crowns

When it comes to the materials that crowns are made of, you have several possible options, including ceramic and metal. Another option that’s now available for some people is a zirconia crown.

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Lithium Disilicate Crowns (EMAX™ )

Long lasting, highly aesthetic and popular. These are the main properties of an EMAX crown, which make them one of the best choices to restore your front tooth.

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EMAX is an all-ceramic system that is based on Lithium disilicate glass, and consists of quartz, lithium dioxide, phosphoroxide, alumina, potassium oxide and trace elements.

EMAX based all-ceramic prostheses are rapidly gaining widespread popularity in cosmetic dentistry due to their excellent esthetics, durability, and strength.

The EMAX system is mainly indicated for fabrication of crowns and veneers in the anterior region.

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Full Zirconia  

Zirconia crowns are made from zirconium dioxide, a very durable type of metal that’s related to titanium, although it’s categorized as a type of ceramic crown. They are used to restore posterior teeth (molars and premolars) due to their increase strength. Consider how much force your back teeth exert on the food that you chew.

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Your crowns need to be made of a strong material, so zirconia may be a good choice for crowns in the back of your mouth. Also, because zirconia is so strong, a dentist won’t have to do as much preparation of your tooth.

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Porcelain Fused to metal

Once considered the standard of care, these type of crowns have been slowly replaced in anterior areas by EMAX crowns and in posterior areas by Full Zirconia.

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They consist of a metal coping that is layered with porcelain, porcelain fused to metal (PFM). Because the metal is opaqued before placing the porcelain, these crowns are a good choice when restoring darken teeth. The discoloration or tooth darkening may show through a more translucent material such as EMAX but it will not show through a PFM crown.

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